President of Breast Care International and Chief Executive Officer of Peace and Love Hospitals, Dr Beatrice Wiafe-Addai, has urged the public, especially women, to make voluntary breast cancer screening a regular habit, stressing that early detection remains the surest way to beat the disease.

Speaking at a breast cancer awareness session at the Presbyterian Church in Lashibi in the Greater Accra Region, Dr Wiafe-Addai said breast cancer, though deadly, is curable if detected early and treated appropriately.

“You do not have to panic or cry just because you’ve been diagnosed with breast cancer. It is no longer a death sentence. With the right treatment, you can survive and live like any other person. We have survivors who have lived for more than 20 years and are doing perfectly well,”
She said.

According to the Global Cancer Observatory, Breast cancer remains one of the most prevalent cancers among women in Ghana, with about 5,000 new cases recorded annually and close to half of those diagnosed lose their lives, largely due to late detection and inappropriate treatment.

Dr Wiafe-Addai lamented that many women still delay seeking medical help, choosing instead to visit herbal centres and prayer camps, a practice she says worsens their condition.

“Most of them return to the hospital only when the situation has become severe and difficult to reverse. This is what leads to many of the avoidable deaths,” she noted.

The breast cancer advocate also called for greater compassion and community support for women battling the disease, insisting that no woman should die from breast cancer due to poverty.

She added that breast cancer awareness should not be seen solely as a women’s issue but as a collective community responsibility.